Mail-pouch catching and delivering mechanism.



PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

W. B. ROHMER.

MAIL POUCH GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1903.

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H0 MODEL.

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PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

W. B. ROHMER.

MAIL POUCH CATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

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Patented August 2, 1904.

UNTTED STATES ATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM BELL ROHMER, OF BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI.

MAIL-POUCH CATCHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,731, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed September 22, 1903. Serial No. 174,204. (No model.)

To all 1071 0710 it may concern:

Be it known that IJVILLIAM B ELL Roinmn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay St. Louis, in the county of Hancock and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Mail-Pouch Catching and Delivering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of mailpouch catching and delivering mechanism set forth in a previous patent granted to me on August 12, 1902, numbered 707,017. \Vhile there are various features presented in the present case that are covered by the claims of said patent, there are certain features herein that are improvements over the structure therein illustrated.

()ne of the objects of this invention is to improve the mechanism employed alongside the track, said mechanism securely holding the pouch to be delivered to the car mechanism and receiving the pouch therefrom.

A further object is to provide means which will automatically lock the pouch so received on the mechanism and will carry it away from the zone of passing trains.

Still another object is to provide means which will permit the detachment of pouches when placed upon the wrong side of the mechanism or caught by a train running in the wrong direction, thereby avoiding serious damage which would otherwise be almost certain to occur.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the car and trackside mechanism just prior to the exchange of sacks. Fig. is also a perspective view after the exchange has taken place. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the supporting means. Fig. at is a detail vertical sectional view through one end of one of the upper arms. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view through a portion of the locking means and indicating the manner in which said locking means is released should the pouch be caught by a train running in the wrong direction. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating a slight modification of the construction shown in Fig.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The car mechanism is substantially like that illustrated in Fig. 5 of the aforementioned patent and may be briefly described as follows: A horizontally-disposed rod 10 is journaled in suitable keepers 11, located at one side of the doorway, and carries at one end an inwardlyextending handle 12 and an outwardlyextending arm 13, said arm being provided with a cross-bar let, having retaining-lips l5, preferably formed by the terminals of a rod 16, secured longitudinally upon the cross-bar 1 1. This rod is of suitable metal that will bend with comparative case. A keeper is employed for preventing the detachment of the bag transferred to the arm. This keeper comprises a pair of spaced sleeves 17, slidably mounted upon the arm and connected by webs 18, the outer sleeve being provided with angular-lyformed fingers 19, the free ends of which are movable into and out of coacting relation with the cross-bar 14. when the sleeves are moved upon the arm. This movement is attained by means of a coiled spring 20, surrounding the rear portion of the arm 13 and bearing against projections 21, secured to the rearmost sleeve. Said sleeve is preferably provided with a pair of upstanding spaced cars 22, between which is arranged to lit another car 23, mounted upon the arm, when the sleeves are moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 20. Said ears when so alined are adapted to receive a holding-pin 2%, comprising pivoted sections, one of which is passed through the ears, the other being attached to a suitable strap or cord 25, that is placed about the center of the pouch .26. This pouch is provided at one end with a comparatively large ring 27, which is engaged beneath the rear retaining-lip 15 and upon the rear end of the crossbar 1a.

So far as thus described, with the exception of the holding-pin A, the mechanism is substantially the same as that set forth in my former patent, and with the exception of said pin no claim is herein made to this structure.

The track-side mechanism is preferably constructed as follows: A pair of spaced supporting-standards 28 are located at a suitable point alongside the track and carry at their upper ends suitable plates 29, constituting hinge-ears between and to which are pivoted upwardly-swinging independent arms 30, one of said arms being located at the top of each standard. The arms extend in rear of the standards and are provided with counterweights 31, which will insure the elevation of their operative ends. Said ends are provided with depending plates 32, to the lower ends of which are pivoted depending supportinghooks 33, the shanks of which extend above the pivots and constitute weights which will swing the hooks to an upright position, as in: dicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. These hooks are oppositely disposed. Extending between the standards '28, below the arms 30, is another arm 34, which has an intermediate outstanding pin 35, journaled in the standards. The thickness of this arm 34 is less than the distance between the standards, and said arm is permitted to move transversely in the space, but is'normally held centered by means of coiled springs 36, surrounding the journal-pin and interposed between the arm and standards. The rear end of the arm 34 is formed into a suitable handle, while the opposite end carries a cross-bar 37, having on its'upper face retaining-lips 38, formed by the ends of an easily-bendable rod 39, secured longitudinally upon the cross-bar. The terminals of this cross-bar coact, respectively, with the independently and upwardly swinging arms 30, as is hereinafter more fully described. This arm 34, with its cross-bar, constitutes both a delivering and receiving arm for the pouches.

An automatic lock is mounted upon the arm 34 and comprises spaced sleeves 40, connected by webs 41, the foremost sleeve having angularly-disposed keeper-fingers 42, that coact with the cross-bar 37. A spring 43 urges the fingers into such coacting relation, and they may be held rearwardly and in spaced relation thereto by means of eyes 44, mounted, respectively, on the arm and the rear sleeve, which eyes are adapted to aline and receive a pin 45, that is composed of pivotally-connected sections, one of which is adapted to be passed through the eyes, while the other is secured to the pouch. The arm 34 swings downwardly, but can be held in horizontal position by either of a pair of sliding bolts 46, which are mounted, respectively, on the standards 28 and are slidable above and into the path of movement of the arm 34, these bolts being mounted in guideboxes 47 It is believed that the operation of the apparatus will be clearly apparent. The clerk upon the train places the pouch to be delivered therefrom upon the car mechanism, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the ring 27 being suspended from the rearmost terminal of the cross-bar 14, the lock being retracted and by the bolt 46,. disposed on the. side nearest The arm 30, located the approaching train.

away from the approaching train, is lowered,

and the ring 27 of the mail-pouch is supported by the hook 33 and the rearmost retaining-lip. The lock of the track-side mechanism is retracted and locked by the pin 45, secured to the central portion of this pouch, said pin being passed through the ears from the side opposite the approaching train. As the mail-car passes the track-side mechanism the foremost terminal of the cross-bar 14 will pass through the ring 27, while the front terminal of the cross-bar 37 will pass through the ring 27. Consequently the bags will be transferred from one mechanism to the other. Immediately the pins will be withdrawn from the ears, thereby releasing the locks, which will under the impulse of the springs be projected to operative positions, thereby locking the exchanged sacks upon the mechanisms. The shock imparted to the arm 34 will, moreover, cause said arm to move laterally against the tension of the opposing spring and sufiiciently to release it from the bolt 46, that is holding it in horizontal position. Thereupon said arm 34 will drop, carrying the caught bag downwardly and out of dangerous proximity to passing trains. Should the pouch be placed upon the wrong side of the track mechanism, it will be caught by the catcher on the car and removed without seriously injuring the apparatus. This will be evident when it is considered that the books 33 will readily turn, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, 'while the retaining-lips 38 will simply bend backwardly. The pin 45 will also be withdrawn from the ears, as will be apparent by reference to Fig. 5. section, bending backwardly and engaging the adjacent ear, will turn upon the same as as a fulcrum, thereby withdrawing the inner section from the ears.

It will thus be seen that a structure is provided which'will operate efliciently and will exchange pouches without injuring them or their contents. Moreover, the pouches after being transferred are securely locked to the The outer mechanism, so that there is no danger of their dropping beneath the car wheels. A still further advantage resides in the means which will permit the taking of sacks by trains running in the wrong direction without materially injuring the apparatus.

Instead of employing the ears 22 and 23, (shown inFigs. 1 to 5, inclusive,) ears or flanges 48 and 49 may be provided. These ears or flanges are provided with open eyes or seats for the reception of the pin 50, which may be readily disengaged from the open eyes or seats by a strain or pull in either direction. This construction will obviate the necessity of employing the lever 2%. (Shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.)

From the foregoingitisthonght that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the in- Vention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of independent pouch-engaging arms mounted on the support, and another arm coacting with either of the independent arms in supporting a pouch.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of independent pouch-engaging arms pivotally mounted on the support, and another arm also pivoted on the support and coacting with either of the independent arms in supporting a pouch.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with swinging pouch-engaging arms having independent upwardly-swinging movements, of a down wardly-swinging pouchengaging arm coacting with either of the upwardly-swinging pouch-engaging arms.

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with separately-supportedpouchengaging arms, of another arm having a crossbar, the terminals of which coact respectively with each of the separate arms.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of swinging pouch-engaging arms mounted on the support having independent movements, and a downwardly-swinging pouch-engaging arm journaled on the support beneath the independent arms and having a cross-bar, the terminals of which coact respectively with each of the independent arms.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with separately-snpported pouchengaging arms, of another arm having a crossbar, the terminals of which coact respectively with each of the separate arms, and pouchengaging means carried by the terminals of the cross-bar and the arms.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with spaced standards, of independent arms mounted on the standards, and another arm mounted between the standards and having a cross-bar coacting with the independent arms.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with spaced standards, of independent upwardlyswinging arms mounted upon the upper ends of the standards, and

another arm journalcd to and between the standards below the upper arms and having a cross-bar, the terminals of which coact respectively with the upwardly-swinging arms.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with spaced supports, of an arm journaled between the supports and having a transverse movement therebetwcen, means for yieldingly holding the arm against such movement, and a lock mounted on one of the supports and movable into the path of movement of the arm.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with spaced supports, of an arm journaled to and between the supports and having a transverse movement therebetwcen, springs interposed between the supports and arm, and separate locks movably mounted on the supports and arranged to coact with the arm.

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with spaced standards, of an arm extending between the standards and having an outstanding journal mounted on said standards, coiled springs surrounding the journal on opposite sides of the arm and bearing against the inner faces of the standards, and bolts slidably mounted on the standards and movable into the path of movement of the arm.

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with coacting pouch-delivering arms, one of which also constitutes a pouchreceiving arm, and an automatic lock movably mounted on the pouch-receiving arm and arranged to prevent the detachment of a pouch received thereon.

13. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with an upwardly swinging pouch -delivering arm, of a downwardlyswinging pouch delivering and receiving arm, and an automatic lock movably mounted on the pouch-receiving arm for preventing the detachment of a pouch received thereon.

14. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with independent upwardlyswinging pouch-delivering arms, of a down- Wardly-swinging pouch delivering and receiving arm having a cross-bar that coacts with the independent arms, and a lock mounted on the downward]y-swinging arm and having portions that coact with the cross-bar to prevent the detachment of pouches received thereon.

15. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a supporting-arm, of a depending pouch-supporting hook pivoted to the end thereof, and means for automatically reversing the hook when a pouch has been removed therefrom.

16. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a supporting-arm, of a depending hook having an upstanding weighted combination with a pouch-receiving arm having an eye, of an automatically-operating lock ,slidably mounted on the arm and having an eye arranged to aline With the eye thereof. and a holding-pin for the lock comprising pivota'lly-conneeted sections, one of said sections engaging in the alined eyes, the other being adapted to be secured to a pouch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM BELL ROHMER.

Witnesses:

L. Sro'roRNo. JOSEPH F. WAGEMAN. 

